FISH FINDING METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20040105343A1
• Filed: 08/26/2002
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Techsonic Industries, Inc. (Johnson Outdoors, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Techsonic Industries, Inc. (Johnson Outdoors, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rasmussen, Douglas Warren, Betts, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,771,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/99
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 93/02 with signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 97/00 Accessories for angling fish stringers A01K65/00; landing-nets or landing-spoons for fishing A01K77/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/96 for locating fish
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/38 specially adapted for water-covered areas G01V1/28 takes precedence

Abstract

A buoy to shore fish finding system has a buoyant station with a sonar transmitter, a sonar receiver, a sonar to electric signal transducer and a radio transmitter all controlled by a microprocessor. The system shore station has a radio receiver and signal display controlled by a shore station microprocessor. The buoyant station microprocessor is programmed to generate sync pulses and to transmit both the sync pulses and transduced sonar echo returns to the shore station while the shore station microprocessor is programmed to display only echo signals received after a sync pulse. The shore station is detachably secured to the arm of the fisherman or to his fishing rod.

Claims

1. A method of fishing wherein a fisherman grips a fishing rod while viewing sonar returns in his fishing area that are displayed on a screen detachably secured to his wrist.

2. The fishing method of claim 1 wherein the fisherman grips the rod with the hand to which his wrist is joined that bears the display screen.

3. The fishing method of claim 1 wherein the fisherman grips the rod with the hand of one arm while viewing the images displayed on a screen detachably secured to the wrist of his other arm.

4. The fishing method of claim 1 while the fisherman also grips a reel mounted to the rod.

5. A method of fishing which comprises the steps of:

(a) generating a stream of digital electric sync pulses;

(b) transmitting sonar pulses from a buoyant station in response to sync pulse;

(c) detecting sonar echos at the buoyant station and generating electric echo signals in response thereto;

(d) transmitting the electric echo signals to a radio receiver secured to the wrist of the fisherman; and

(e) displaying echo signals on a screen detachably secured to the wrist of the fisherman.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the stream of sync pulses is generated at the buoyant station and radio transmitted to a radio receiver secured to the wrist of the fisherman.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein step (e) the echo signals are displayed which follow a sync pulse generated in real time.

8. A method of fishing with a fishing rod which comprises the steps of:

(a) generating a stream of digital electric sync pulses;

(b) transmitting sonar pulses from a buoyant station in response to sync pulses;

(c) detecting sonar echos at the buoyant station and generating electric echo signals in response thereto;

(d) transmitting the electric echo signals to a radio receiver secured to the fishing rod, and

(e) displaying echo signals on a screen secured to the fishing rod.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the stream of sync pulses is generated at the buoyant station and radio transmitted to the radio receiver.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein step (e) the echo signals are displayed which follow a sync pulse generated in real time.

11. A buoy to shore fish finding system comprising a buoyant station having a sonar transmitter, a sonar receiver, a sonar to electric signal transducer and a radio transmitter all controlled by a microprocessor;

a shore station having a radio receiver and signal display controlled by a shore station microprocessor mounted in a housing that bears means for releasibly securing the shore station to the arm of a fisherman.

12. The fish finding system of claim 11 wherein the buoyant station microprocessor is programmed to generate sync pulses and to transmit both the sync pulses and transduced sonar echo returns to the shore station, and wherein the shore station microprocessor is programmed to display only echo signals received after a sync pulse.

13. A buoy to shore fish finding system comprising a buoyant station having a sonar transmitter, a sonar receiver, a sonar to electric signal transducer and a radio transmitter all controlled by a microprocessor;

a shore station having a radio receiver and signal display controlled by a shore station microprocessor mounted in a housing that bears means for releasibly securing the shore station to a fishing rod.

14. The fish finding system of claim 13 wherein the buoyant station microprocessor is programmed to generate sync pulses and to transmit both the sync pulses and transduced sonar echo returns to the shore station, and wherein the shore station microprocessor is programmed to display only echo signals received after a sync pulse.